Spring mounted vertical pump support



July 8, 1958 H. H. DUKES 2,842,203.

4 SPRING MOUNTED VERTICAL PUMP SUPPORT Filed Sept. 14, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VEN TOR.

BY 11 Dukes July 8, 1958 H. H. DUKES 2,842,208

SPRING MOUNTED VERTICAL PUMP SUPPORT Filed Sept. 14. 1953 1 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A 7'TORNEYJ United States 7' SPRING MOUNTED VERTICAL PUMP SUPPORTHaydron H. Dukes, Bartlesville, Okla., assignor to Phillips PetroleumCompany, a corporation of Delaware Application September 14, 1953,Serial No. 379,753 3 Claims. (Cl; 166-68) j The present invention;relates to improvements in pumping devices and, in particular, topumping devices of the vertical type for pumping various fluids fromwells, tanks, etc.

. ,A principal object of the present invention is to provide a verticalpumping unit for pumping a fluid from a well. or tank. Another object ofthe invention is to provide means for adapting the pumping apparatus toexpansion and contraction occurring in the piping attached to the pump,A further object is to provide an improved means of mounting a verticalpumpso as to allow limited movementin all planes in response toexpansion and contraction stresses from the piping attached to the pump.An additional object is to provide resilient means for supporting avertical pump, thereby permitting it to adjust itself to vertical andhorizontal stresses.

Heretofore, considerable difliculty has been experienced in providingsuitable supports for heavy apparatus such as motor pump units. Pumpshave discharge lines which oftentimes carry fluids at high temperaturesand pressures, and these lines have horizontally and vertically Inaccordance with my invention, a mounting is provided capable of takingup stresses resulting from movement of the piping attached thereto. Asuitable base, such as a cement foundation is suitably recessed tocontain four coil springs so positioned as to allow vertical movement ofthe pump mounting. Enlarged holes in the pump sub-base allow limitedmovement in all horizontaldirections over vertical rods. 7

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of themotor-pump assembly;

Figure 2 is a top, or plan, view of the mounting device of theinvention;

Figure 3 is a front elevational sectional view of the mounting devicetaken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing in detail one of thespring mountings;

Figure 4 is-a vertical view in profile looking at one end of themounting device of the invention;

Figure 5 is a top sectional view of Figure 3' taken along line 55.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, Figure 2 2,842,208Patented July f 8 outlet 5, to which a discharge line (not shown) isattached. Stresses at this point are transmitted to the pump mounting.indicated generally at 6, which is'supported in concrete foundation,or'base 7. I

In accordance with this invention, themounting device is constructedsothatlimited vertical movement of the support can take placerespectiveto, such s'tresse's, -as well as limited horizontal: movement in anydirection, thereby preventing damage. to .the .supporting structure ofpump. Further, the pump bedplate can be leveled after the unit .hasbeen.installed.vn

The detailed structure ofsthe mounting device performing these;functions a is 'shown by Figures 2, 3," 4, and 5. Concrete foundation,or base, 7 contains embedded stationary base means.-8.; .Vertically.yieldable means, such as spring assemblies, are incorporated intheflbase means. These spring assembliesicarry 'a loadsupportingstructure, such as :a rectangular .framef9, which is disposed forhorizontal, movement to a limited extent in any direction relative tothe-stationary .base means8. 1 v,

, Frame 9jis formed from. U-shaped channelimembers and is of generallyrectangular construction; It providedqwith horizontally extendingchannel members, or cross braces, 10, said cross braces, together withthe ends of frame 9, supporting the respective metal plates 11, whichare welded ,or otherwiseisuitably secured thereto, Each plate-11 has twoholes 12 adjacent the respective ends thereofand overlying. thestationary. base .means, 8., A rectangular bOX'rllkfi. shield 13overhangs .the opening of well 1 to prevent foreign matterfrom fallinginto it. It also functions as an additional-cross brace for frame 9. Theframe 9,,and associated structure described, constitutes the bed plate 6of the pump, Figuregl. a "km of the earth in the concrete foundations 7,the lower end of the casing being closed by anendplate 15..- .'A coverplate 16prevents material from entering casing14.

-.An elongated, threaded adjusting rod 17 is mounted within the casing14 and concentric therewith, the. rod

carrying a threaded annular disk, or flange, 18, this flange hav'ing aplurality of radially-extending slots disposed about its peripherywithin which: are received; a

plurality-of keys 19. These keys extend vertically and protrude inwardlythrough suitable-slots formed in the cylindrical casing 14. Accordingly,keys. 19 prevent rotation of the flange 18, but permit axialorlongitudinal movement thereofwith respect, to the rod 17. Consequently,as the rod is rotated, the flange 18 is. moved vertically with respectto it along'the, keys 19. Such rotation of the rod can be effected, forexample, by insertinga suitable pin through a diame'tric bore 20providedin the exposed portion of the; rod 17.

A helical spring 21encirc1es the lower portion of rod 17 and at itsupper end abuts against flange 18;;The

lower end of the spring rests on end plate 15 and en'- circles a boss 22protruding upwardly therefrom.

The upper portion of rod 17 extends through the cap, or cover, 16 andhas secured thereto a support, or upper flange, 23 upon which rests theadjacent plate 11, forming a part of frame 9. The upper end of the rodextends through one of the openings 12 in plate 11' and it will benoted,,in Figure 2, that the opening 12 is of somewhat larger diameterthan the rod 17. In practice,'the,diameter of. th'eflopeniingcan be;about 4" greater; thani the diameter of the rod. It is evident that thisconstruction .permits a 2" movement of the frame 9 relative to the rod17 in any horizontal direction, responsive to the strains imposed uponthe pump by expansion or contraction of the discharge line attached at5.

} Each of the stationary. base means 81 includes, a vgenverallycylindricalcasing 14' buried beneath the surface 3 1 It is evident thatthe -weight of the pump is supported by the frame9, which in turn issupported by the flanges 23 and rod 17, the thrust produced by theweight of the pump being transmitted to the foundations 7 from the rods17 .by the respectivesprings 21. The .amountof thrust transmittedthrough each spring 21 is determined by the verticalposition of .flange18, which determines the extent of expansion or contraction of thespring. Thus,- even .whenthe. pump is supported by the mounting device,.the amount of thrust transmitted by each spring .can be adjusted byrotation of the corresponding rod 17 and consequent relative verticalmovement between such rodandits flange 18. Such rotary adjustment of therod, of course, also changes the elevation or vertical position of theflange 23 secured thereto, thereby raising or lowering a correspondingcorner of the pump bed plate. Accordingly, the pump can be leveled afterit is installed -by suitable rotation of the adjustingrods, as by rodsinserted through the bores 20.

Itwill be evident that the stresses resulting from contraction orexpansion of the suction and discharge lines .will be transmitted to thesupporting structure and result in'a movementthereof, as permitted bythe suspending springs 21, ratherwthan resulting in damage to the pumpor support, as would be the case if the support were rigid .vertically.As a corollary to this, the vertical position of eachof the four cornersof the structure, as defined -by the vertical position of flanges 23,can be individually adjusted after the pump and its connections havebeen installed.

The greater diameter of the openings 12 relative to :the diameter of therods 17 permits movement of the pump relative to the support responsiveto horizontal stresses @imposed by expansion or contraction of thedischarge lines. Consequently, such horizontal stresses do not result indamage to the pump or its associated structure, as would be the case ifthe pump were rigidly .mounted.

Finally, it will be noted that the frame 9 is disposed generally at thelevel of the surface of the earth, i. e., slightly above it, while thespring supports themselves and their associated structure are mountedbelow the level of thesurface of the earth. This keeps to a minimumprotruding parts which tend to interfere with main- :tenance of the pumpor other equipment, and permits the mounting height of thesupportedequipment to be the same as with an ordinary mounting.Although, as indicated, the support structure is particularly suitedfor'pump mounting, it is not restricted thereto, as the-structure can beused with any equipment subject to a small move :ment in any direction.However, when the structure is .utilized as a pump support, the lowmounting permits more net positive suction head on the pump impellerwhen pumping from a vessel of fixed height, which oftentimes means thedifference between reliable and unreliable pump operation.

, The provision of the keys 19 and flange 18 provides a very positiveaction when the spring support is adjusted and the unit is very readilydismantled for maintenance for repair, due to the novel construction ofthe spring assemblies. Finally, the spring mounting of our invention iseifectivein dampening vibration, due tothe action of the pump or othersupported structure.

While the invention has been described in connection with a present,preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that thisdescription is illustrative only, and is not intended to limit theinvention.

This case is related to the copending applications of Herbert M.Sullivan et al., Serial No. 311,194, filed September 24, 1952, andSerial No. 335,894, filed February 9, 1953, now Patent No. 2,708,084,same assignee.

I claim:

1. An improved mount for a vertical rotary pump comprising, incombination, a casing adapted to extend into a well at the surface ofthe earth, a rigid foundation about said casing securing same to thesurrounding earth, a plurality of spring assemblies carried by saidfoundation, each assembly including a vertically extending spring havingits lower end resting on said foundation, a vertically extending rodaligned with said spring, a disc connected to said rod, the upper end ofsaid spring abutting against said disc, and a support secured to theupper portion of said rod, the end of said rod protruding through saidsupport, and a load supporting frame having an opening directly over theend of said casing and horizontal plate members resting upon each ofsaid supports, said plate members 'having openings formed therein aroundthe respective rods and of larger diameter than said rods which protrudethrough the openings but not beyond said frame structure, whereby saidframe is adapted for limited horizontal movement in any direc- -tionrelative to said rods and vertical movement relative of the surface ofthe earth.

3. An improved mount for a vertical rotary pump comprising, incombination, a casing adapted to extend into a well at the surface ofthe earth, a rigid foundation about said casing securing same to thesurrounding earth, said foundation forming a platform at a level abovethe surface of the earth but below the upper end of said casing, aplurality of spring assemblies carried by said foundation and positionedsymmetrically about said casing, each spring assembly including avertical threaded adjusting rod, an annular disc threaded to said rodand having at least one radially-extending slot formed in the edgethereof, a generally cylindrical sleeve surrounding said adjusting rodand having at least one vertically-extending key protruding inwardlytherefrom and fitting within the slot on said disc, whereby the disc isconstrained against rotation and rotation of the rod causes axialmovement of the disc relative to the rod, a helical spring encirclingthe lower portion of said rod, said spring having one end thereofsecured to said foundation and the other end thereof secured to saiddisc, each rod having a support secured at the upper end thereof, a loadsupporting frame having a central opening directly over the end of saidcasing and horizontal plate members resting upon each of said supports,said plate members having openings formed therein around the respectiverods and of larger diameter than said rods which protrude through theopenings but not beyond said frame structure, whereby said frame isadapted for limited horizontal movement in any direction relative tosaid adjusting rods and limited vertical movement relative to saidcasing, and a skirt depending from said frame about said centralopening, said skirt defining sufiicient cross-sectional area to coverthe end of said casing without contacting same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

